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Learn about the main culprits in allergic asthma and what triggers asthma symptoms to flare up.

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Allergic asthma occurs when allergens in your environment set off characteristic asthma symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath, according to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). Cockroaches, cat dander, dust, and mold are among the common culprits.

“The majority of asthma that we see, particularly in children, is allergic asthma,” says Felicia Rabito, PhD, MPH, associate professor in the department of epidemiology at the Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans. In fact, according to the AAFA, more than 50 percent of all asthma cases are allergic asthma.

What Causes Allergic Asthma Symptoms

If you have allergic asthma, inhaling allergens in your environment can trigger asthma symptoms. Swelling and irritation are common allergic asthma responses. With allergic asthma, the swelling and irritation occurs in your airways, often narrowing them enough that breathing becomes difficult. That struggle to breathe causes the asthma symptoms — the wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath — that characterize allergic asthma, according to the AAFA.

About 65 to 75 percent of adults with asthma are sensitive to at least one allergen, according to data from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), published in the April 2013 issue of the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. It is important to note, however, that not everything you are allergic to will cause asthma symptoms to develop. Even if a skin prick test shows that you have an allergy to Bermuda grass, for instance, that does not necessarily mean that a picnic enjoyed on a Bermuda grass lawn will cause your asthma symptoms to flare up, though it could cause another type of allergic reaction.

Triggers of Allergic Asthma

If you suspect that you have allergic asthma, you should see an allergist who can thoroughly test you to identify your specific triggers. Sometimes a trigger can be easy to pinpoint. For example, if you begin wheezing the moment you walk into a house where a cat lives, you are probably allergic to cat dander. But for many people, the allergen-asthma connection may not be quite so clear, or there may be more than one allergen that sets off their asthma symptoms. People with allergic asthma are more likely to react to a trigger they breathe in than other kinds of allergens. Using information from people with asthma participating in NHANES III, researchers determined how many people certain common triggers affect:

Dust mites: 36.3 percent

Rye grass: 33.1 percent

Cats: 26.9 percent

Dogs: 24.4 percent

Bermuda grass: 15.9 percent

Short ragweed: 10.7 percent

Cockroaches: 10.5 percent

Alternaria (mold): 10 percent

White oak: 9 percent

Controlling Allergic Asthma

For some people with allergic asthma, allergy medications may help prevent asthma attacks. The guidelines from the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program emphasize taking these steps to control allergic asthma:

Avoid your triggers. Once you know what you are allergic to, take whatever steps you can to prevent exposure. To control allergens at home, the AAFA recommends that you:

Eat only at the dinner table to avoid leaving pest-attracting crumbs around the house, and never leave food out on counters.

Wash floors and counters at least once a week.

Fix any leaks to avoid attracting water-loving pests and the growth of mold.

Use covers on mattresses and pillows to protect against dust mites.

Wash bedding in hot water weekly to control dust mites.

Use a vacuum with a HEPA-filter.

Keep the humidity in your home under 50 percent.

Ask someone else to do yard work for you or wear a mask if you must do outdoor tasks.

To avoid pet dander, limit the areas in your home where pets can go. Don't allow them in your bedroom.

Work to control asthma. Partner with your doctor to get your asthma under control. You might need to use both long-term medications and short-term relief medications to keep asthma symptoms at bay. How often you see your doctor will depend on how well controlled your asthma is over time.

Investigate allergy medications. Whether you need medication specifically for allergies is a decision you and your doctor will make, depending on your triggers. You might need medication if you still have allergic asthma despite doing your best to avoid known triggers, especially when specific seasonal allergens, such as grasses, are hard to avoid. It’s always a good idea to take your daily asthma medications as your doctor prescribes them. But the safest thing to do, no matter which category of allergic asthma you fall into, is to carry a rescue inhaler with you for any unexpected allergen exposures.

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